Question:
I’ve been told I should exercise more, but I’m afraid that at my age (73) I
might damage something. Am I safer as a couch potato?
Answer:
All the current scientific evidence shows that geezers should exercise, even
though many older people think it could harm them. Study after study
demonstrates that seniors hurt their health a lot more by being sedentary.
If you’re inactive, you deteriorate. Physical activity can
help restore your capacity. Most older adults,
regardless of age or condition, will benefit from increasing physical activity
to a moderate level.
Warning: If you want to begin a new exercise program, you
should consult your physician and request a list of exercises that are best for
your age and physical condition.
Four types of exercise are important for your health. These
are exercises for strength, balance, stretching and endurance.
Strength exercises build muscle and raise your metabolism.
Doing these exercises will help to keep your weight
down.
Balance exercises help prevent falls and, therefore, will
keep you from breaking yourself and losing your independence. Each year, U.S.
hospitals have 300,000 admissions for broken hips; many of them are the result
of falls.
Stretching exercises give you more freedom of movement, and
endurance exercises raise your pulse and breathing.
Here are 10 tips to make any exercise program safe:
•
Don’t hold your breath during strength
exercises. This could affect your blood pressure.
•
When lifting weights, use smooth, steady
movements. Breathe out as you lift or push a weight, and breathe in as you
relax.
•
Avoid jerking or thrusting movements.
•
Avoid locking the joints of your arms and
legs into a strained position.
•
Some soreness and slight fatigue are normal
after muscle-building exercises. Exhaustion, sore joints, and painful muscle
pulls are not normal.
•
Always warm up before stretching exercises.
•
Stretching should never cause pain, especially
joint pain.
•
Never bounce into a stretch; make slow
steady movements instead.
•
To prevent injuries, use safety equipment
such as helmets for biking.
•
You should be able to talk during
endurance exercises.
Measuring your progress can motivate you. Test yourself
before starting to exercise to get a baseline score. Test and record your
scores each month. The following are some tests you can use, if your doctor
approves.
For endurance, see how far you can walk in exactly six
minutes. For lower-body strength, time yourself as you walk up a flight of
stairs as fast as you safely can. For upper-body strength, record how much
weight you lift and how many times you lift that weight. For balance, time
yourself as you stand on one foot, without support, for as long as possible.
Have someone stand near you in case you lose your balance.
Repeat the test while standing on the other foot.
Remember, above all, exercise should make you feel better.
If you have a question, please write to
fredcicetti@gmail.com